News Releases and Statements

Ian Esteban Serrano, 27, and Marco Antonio Romero, 22, were sentenced by United States District Judge Raner C. Collins to nearly 4 years; a sentence of 37 months was imposed for their role in smuggling undocumented noncitizens into the United States, and a consecutive sentence of eight months was imposed for Serrano’s violation of supervised release from a previous conviction for the same offense in 2016 and Romero’s violation of supervised release from a previous conviction for the same offense in 2019.

Marin Fuentes Baltazar, 39, departed Miami International Airport to his destination of Harlingen, Texas, where he was turned over to authorities in Mexico via the Brownsville, Texas, port of entry.

According to court documents, Brandi Snyder, 34, of Americus, is accused of persuading and coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction, and of allegedly possessing and distributing child pornography.

Juan Jose Roque, 36, illegally residing in Garland, was sentenced Aug. 29 by a federal judge to serve 41 months in prison and is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) put their voluntary collaborative program with America’s business community on display during the 2022 HR Florida Conference & Expo, Aug. 28-31, at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort.

A Brazilian national in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) passed away Aug. 24 at the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) in Albuquerque. An autopsy is pending to determine the official cause of death.

The Durga Stele was returned during a repatriation ceremony Aug 24 attended by Nepal’s Acting Consul General, Bishnu Gautam, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York Acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge Mike Alfonso.

Alessandra Olivares, 28, from San Antonio, was sentenced to serve 51 months in prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. Olivares pleaded guilty Aug.18, 2021.

The 10 individuals indicted included Franklin Trejo-Chavarria, 25; Julio Vigil-Lopez, 25; Walter Antonio Chicas-Garcia, 25; Luis Ernesto Carbajal-Peraza, 30; Carlos Alexi Garcia-Gongora, 24; Wilson Jose Ventura-Mejia, 26; Angel Miguel Aguilar-Ochoa, 37; Marlon Miranda-Moran, 23; Wilman Rivas-Guido, 26; and Carlos Elias Henriquez-Torres, 22. All ten defendants are citizens of El Salvador.

A former schoolteacher with the Southside Independent School District was sentenced Aug. 23 to 20 years in prison on child pornography charges following an investigation conducted by HSI. Mark Anthony Rodriguez, 56, was sentenced to 240 months in prison and ordered to pay $70,000 in restitution to 14 separate victims.

The individuals arrested pursuant to state arrest warrants for engaging in organized criminal activity include Timothy Ngo, 51, Henry Pham, 55, Quoc Bao Le, 39, Tran Le, 45, and Tram Le, 47.

On Aug. 16, ERO and the Webb County District Attorney’s Office (WCDAO), as part of a joint operation, apprehended Miguel Angel Ponce-Mejia, 43, a Mexican national who has been previously removed five times to Mexico. In December 2007, Ponce-Mejia was convicted of indecency with a child; he came to ERO’s attention via local law enforcement agencies after a local encounter.

The noncitizens consisted of 12 citizens from Mexico, eight from Ecuador, seven from Guatemala, and one each from Honduras and El Salvador. Among the 29, there were 24 men and five women, ranging in age from 18 to 42. All were turned over to the U.S. Border Patrol for processing.

Facility status and interventions for COVID-19 management are based on determinations by, and in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guidance on Prevention and Management of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Correctional and Detention Facilities.

According to court documents, Matthew Jacob Metzler, 32, traveled to Arizona to pick up a minor and then took the child to Pecos, where he engaged in sexual acts with the child. A search warrant was executed on Metzler’s cellular phone where child pornography photos along with a sexually explicit video Metzler made with the minor were found.

Over the last three months, HSI has seen a substantial increase in the number of weapons, along with a serious increase on the caliber and type of firearms, being illegally trafficked. Some of those weapons include .50 caliber sniper rifles, 308 rifles, and a belt fed machine gun.

ICE is proposing creating a framework under which the Secretary of Homeland Security could authorize alternative options for document examination procedures associated with the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. The notice of proposed rulemaking is seeking input from the public regarding making permanent some of the current COVID-19 pandemic-related flexibilities to examine employees’ identity and employment authorization documents for the Form I-9.

Eric Mendiola, a 37-year-old resident of San Benito, was sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to five years in federal prison for illegally transporting undocumented migrants within the United States.

Walter Haskin, 27, of Cottonwood Falls, was indicted on one count of attempted distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

On Aug. 10, AZDPS detectives arrested Braulio De Diego, 30, of Mesa, and seized 35.7 pounds of fentanyl pills near State Route 101 and Chandler Boulevard, in Chandler, following a drug trafficking investigation.

Axel Elias Ramirez, 19, a U.S. citizen, and Jorge Soto-Ochoa, 34, a Mexican national, were charged with conspiracy to transport and harbor illegal aliens for profit, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, or both.

HSI Special Agent in Charge Angie Salazar received the Outstanding Federal Law Enforcement Employee Award and was recognized as an exemplary role model, not only for women in law enforcement, but for all federal employees. Salazar is credited for working tirelessly to serve the agency and further the mission of HSI, identifying areas for improvement and leading the way to address those challenges.

Denis Matute pleaded guilty to two counts of interference with commerce by robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence on Nov. 2, 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

Jessica Medrano, 41, was indicted with one count of aggravated identity theft, one count of access device fraud, and 12 counts of wire fraud. Medrano pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Distinguished attendees at this month’s meeting included Ambassador Michèle Taylor, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Human Rights Council, and Desirée Cormier Smith, U.S. Special Representative for Racial Equity and Justice.